In an effort to combat deforestation, technology company BioCarbon Engineering is developing an automated system for rapidly planting trees with aerial drones. The system has three phases: first, mapping drones are dispatched to collect 3D terrain data of a target area. Then planting drones plant seed pods from the air using pneumatic launchers. Finally mapping drones periodically monitor the seedlings’ progress. According to the company’s founder, former NASA engineer Lauren Fletcher, two drone operators should be able to plant up to 36,000 trees per day with the system. The company hopes to plant up to one billion trees per year.